On June 25, 2026, police officers arrested freelance journalist Abdukadir Abukar Ali, also known as Diirshe, at the entrance to Banadir Regional Court in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, according to the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ following his release.
Abdukadir had planned to attend the trial of activist Sadia Moalim Ali — who was given a three-year sentence later that day for comments she made on social media — when eight armed police officers arrested him and escorted him to a pickup truck. He told CPJ that the officers blindfolded him and took him to Yaqshid District Police Station in Mogadishu, where he was detained for three nights.
The day before his arrest, Abdukadir, who publishes news on his Facebook page, posted a video analyzing footage released by the court from the June 23 hearing in Sadia's trial.
On June 28, Abdukadir appeared before Banadir Regional Court, where the judge questioned him about the video and accused him of interfering with an ongoing case and ordered he be remanded for up to 45 days pending investigation, the journalist told CPJ.
However, Abdukadir was released on bail the same day after a federal member of Somalia's parliament deposited US$1,000 and guaranteed that Abdukadir would appear before the court whenever required.
Abdukadir told CPJ that the Office of the Attorney General later withdrew the case.
CPJ did not receive responses to requests for comment sent via messaging app to Information Minister Abdifitah Qasim Mohamud and police spokesperson Abdifatah Adan Hassan.